High Nitrates and pH...please advise

[micah creekmore]

I've got a 46 gallon saltwater tank thats been up and running for several years now. Today I noticed my fish all breathing heavy so I went and got a test strip kit. It shows very high Nitrates...like 200ppm & slightly low pH...7.25.

How can I safely get the Nitrates down? I know a partial water change is probably best, but I can't get that down until tomorrow afternoon and don't want my fish to die!

I use Prime when adding new water...can I use that to help?

I also have some Marine Buffer which will bring the pH up where it goes...should I do that?

Please help. Thanks!

 

[jay0705]

The ph isnt a huge issue rt now. The nitrates could be due to over feeding. Macro alage would be a huge help. As for the immediate , a water change is your best bet.

 

[bang guy]

In my opinion Prime would be a catastrophe (it will consume oxygen). Marine Buffer is a mixed bag. It can raise the PH (your PH is REALLY low not slightly low) but at a cost.

Do you know Ammonia, Calcium, and Alkalinity levels? Temperature?

If ammonia is present do NOT add any buffer. Increasing the PH will increase the toxicity of the ammonia.

You are right that a water change is the best solution.

The Nitrate & PH is closely related. Something is rotting in your tank, the biologic filtration is healthy enough to handle it, but the result is an overload of Nitrate and metabolic acids. The acids are the major concern.

 

[beth]

How do you have your system set up that would result in that high nitrate level? Live rock, sandbed type, filters?

 

[micah creekmore]

I've got a Canister filter and sand. No live rock.

I'm pretty sure it's my puffer causing the high number of Nitrates. I'll probably have to trade him back in before too long...he's gotten too big for the tank.

 

[flower]

I've got a Canister filter and sand. No live rock.

I'm pretty sure it's my puffer causing the high number of Nitrates. I'll probably have to trade him back in before too long...he's gotten too big for the tank.

Hi,

You really need rock...even dry rock provides a place for the good bacteria to colonize and build on... the good bacteria is what breaks down the ammonia, to nitrites to nitrates and last to a harmless gas. Unless you have rock in the sump...you don't have to crowd the display with rock then.

Phosphates are another problem...macroalgae is the easiest cheapest method...but it isn't a quick fix, the NO3 and PO4 will be absorbed as the macros grow out, when you remove the extra growth (called harvesting), you remove them from the system, but if your fish eat it...they will poop out the stuff back into the system.. A good GFO reactor will eliminate PO4 within a week.

 

[jay0705]

Agreed

 

[bang guy]

I disagree that the rock is needed to break down ammonia. Sand provides more surface area. Besides, there's plenty of Nitrate so breaking down ammonia doesn't seem to be an issue. In my opinion the issue is adding too many nutrients to the system vs the avenues of exporting the Nitrate.